Morgan County Correctional Complex inmate Byron Looper was pronounced dead Wednesday morning after being found unresponsive inside his cell.

Looper, 48, was pronounced dead at 11:10 a.m., according to information from the Tennessee Department of Correction.

According to the Department of Correction, Commissioner Derrick Schofield has requested the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation assume the lead in the investigation into Looper's death. District Attorney Russell Johnson has approved the request.

Looper was serving a maximum sentence of life without parole for the 1998 first-degree murder of Tennessee Sen. Tommy Burks.

Looper, who changed his middle name from Anthony to "Low Tax," ran against Burks in the election that year. Burks reportedly was the clear leader in the 1998 election.

Looper shot the 58-year-old Burks once in the head at his hog and tobacco farm on Oct. 19, 1998, while Burks was sitting in pickup truck.

Looper was the Putnam County property assessor when he was charged with Burks' murder.